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"The story concerns a lonely pearl-diver and his beautiful daughter, Shona. She is a child of nature, a goddess of the seas, and one moonlight night romance comes to her when she swims out to a strange boat and meets the hero. A rival pearl pirate, on the death of the old man, attempts villainy, but the young man pits himself against him, and, naturally, all ends well. Playing opposite Miss Kellerman is Mr Norman French, who does excellent acting, and makes a manly hero all through." Evening Post review, June 7, 1924.
Australian born Annette Kellerman was a champion diver and swimmer who made headlines in 1907 when she was arrested in Boston for wearing a one piece bathing suit. In Hollywood she starred in Neptune’s Daughter, (1914) and A Daughter of the Gods (1916). The exterior scenes were filmed in Nelson, the interior in Christchurch.
Hollywood produced, the New Zealand Government was upset that while “public spirited citizen’s went to great lengths to assist with finance... not only did they lose their money but when the film was released in Nelson it was never mentioned, nor even New Zealand.” - Film in Aotearoa, 1992.